Removable tap for shoes



Nov. 15, 1955 w. M. cAssiDY 2,723,467

REMOVABLETAP FOR SHOES Filed May 13, 1954 1 5/ 52 WILLIAM M. CASSIDY BY ATTORNEY INVENTOR United States PatentfO "ice The present invention relates to a tap dancing device that is readily attached to or detached from shoes.

At the present time taps are permanently attached to shoes by screws, vrivets or other means; thus rendering the shoes impractical for other purposes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a 35 of resilient member 33 and passes through bore 42 tap that may be easily attached to a shoe or detached without any trouble.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a tap havingsecuring means under tension.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision ofrneans for securing the toe end of the-tap to the sole of a shoe.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for securing the heel end of a tap to the heel of a shoe.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of concealed resilient tension means.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for anchoring a portion of the resilient means.

The invention will be better understood from consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the application.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of toe and heel taps applied to a shoe, said shoe being outlined in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the toe plate showing a flanged tip portion, means for engaging the toe portion of a shoe and resilient means connected to sole engaging means.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a heel plate.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the toe portion of the tap showing modifications thereof.

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the toe portion of the tap showing modifications thereof taken on line 77 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 10 represents a toe plate having a depressed portion 11 and a flanged tipped portion 12. Within the depressed portion 11 is an anchor ring 13 that receives ends 14 and 15 of springs 16 and 17. Connected to end 18 of spring 16 is end 19 of shank 20 that passes through bore 21, the end 22 of the shank being bent to form a hook for engagement with the sole of a shoe.

End 23 of spring 17 is connected to end 24 of shank 25, shank 25 passing through bore 26, and end 27 being bent to form a hook for engagement with the sole of a shoe.

A rivet 28, having a sharpened edge 29 is inserted in bore 30 of the flanged tip portion 12. It may be held 2,723,467 l atented Nov. 15, 1955 2 in position by any suitable method, soldering, peening, etc.

A second plate 31, similar to plate 10 with slight modifications which allow it to be removably attached .to the heel of a shoe, has an anchonring 32, a resilient member 33 passing through said anchor ring and having ends 34 and 35, end 34 engaging end 36 of shank 37 and passing through bore 38 of plate 31. The end 39 of shank 37 is bent over to forma hook engaging the heel of, a shoe. Shank 40 is connected at its end 41to'end in plate 31. The end 43 of shank 40 is bent to form ahookfor engagement with the heel ofashoe.

A rivet 44 having a sharpened edge45 is inserted through the flanged tip portion 46 and held by any suitable means. Plate 31 has a depressed portion 47 "therein, within which anchor ring 32 is located. V

In the modified forms offfthe invention disclosed in Figures 6 and 7, there' are shown a pair of inturned gripping means 50 that are integral with the flanged tip portion 12, adapted for engagement with a shoe having regular leather, paper, or other type of sole. The gripping means 50 can either penetrate the solejor hook over the sole to hold it in position.

"'A spring holding means should be close to 'the tip of the tap in this form of the invention, to allow as much s'pringl or rubber band stretch as possible. This is to get' sufficient tension to hold the'clanip on tap in position. For this purpose a U-shaped wire 51 having a loop 52 is inserted through a bore 53 in tip 12. The spring or rubber band (not shown) is then passed through the loop 52 to anchor the tensioning means in the same manner as anchor ring 32 anchors band 33 in Figure 5.

The other modification also shown in Figures 6 and 7 is used independently of gripping means 50 and anchoring means 51.

The various modified gripping means have been shown on Figures 6 and 7 merely to avoid needless repetition of the drawing.

The modification referred to above comprises a U- shaped wire member 54 having arms 55 that pass through bores 56 in tip portion 12. The ends 57 are bent upwardly and back towards the U, each of said ends thus forming U-shaped members having bight portions 58. The ends 57 are sharpened at their extremities to facilitate their penetration into the sole of said shoe.

In use, the toe member 10 is placed in position with the sharpened edge 29 or rivet 28 engaging the sole of a shoe at the toe portion. If desired to hold the tap on more firmly a sharp blow may be given to the rivet 28 to drive the edge 29 into the sole of the shoe. The bent ends 22 and 27 are then hooked into the sides of the sole under tension of the springs 16 and 17 and the toe tap is held firmly in place until intentionally removed.

The heel member 31 is placed in position on the heel in the same manner as the toe member 10 was placed on the toe portion. The sharpened edge 45 of rivet 44 is driven into the heel by a slight blow, then the bent over portions 43 and 39 are hooked over the inner portion of the heel.

If it is desired to remove the toe taps, the hooks are first disengaged from the sole, then the tap is forced towards the toe of the shoe thereby disengaging the edge 29 from the toe portion of the sole.

To remove the heel tap, the hooks are disengaged from the front portion of the heel and the tap is forced backwards, thus disengaging the sharpened edge 45 from the back part of the heel. The shoes may then be used without the taps, with no ill effects to said shoe, save slight indentations where the edges 29 and 45 penetrated the sole. The taps may be placed in position in just a few seconds and may be removed likewise. This allows an individual to use the same shoes for normal use, or for dancing, as the case may be.

The same procedure is followed when the modifications shown in Figures 6 and 7 are used, in one form the sharpened ends 57 are forced into the sole or between the sole and the shoe, then the hooks (not shown) are hooked into the side of the sole. In this form of the invention, the elastic is hooked onto the U-shaped member 54 instead of to anchoring ring as shown at 32 in Figure 5.

In the other form, using the gripping means 50, the U-shaped wire 51 has the loop 52 to receive the end of the elastic means, and a sharpened end to partially penetrate the sole. The gripping means 50 penetrate the sole, then the hooks (not shown) are engaged with the sole, the elastic tension means then stretched between loop 52 and the end of therhooks (as shown in Figure 2) To remove, the procedure is reversed, the hooks are disengaged first then the sole penetrating means. The shoes thus may be used with or without taps, the installation and removal taking just a few moments.

What is claimed is:

1. A removable shoe tap comprising a toe portion and a body portion, a rigid sharpened sole engaging member on said toe portion, said body portion being recessed, an anchor in said recess and resilient sharpened sole engaging means on said body portion having one end secured to said anchor.

2. A removable tap for shoes comprising a tip por- 30 tion and a body portion, a rigid sharpened sole engaging member on said tip portion, said body portion being recessed andhaving an anchor ring therein, bores in said body portion, shoe securing means passing through said bores, and resilient tensioning members secured to said anchor ring and to one end of some of said securing means.

3. A removable tap for shoes comprising a toe portion and a body portion, a rigid sharpened sole engaging member on said toe portion, said body portion being recessed and having an anchor ring therein, resilient means in said recessed body portion secured to said anchor, bores in said tap, sole engaging means for said tap, said sole engaging means having a shank, one end of said shank connected to one end of said resilient means, said shank passing through said bores, the opposite end of said shanks having bent sharpened ends for engagement with the sole of a shoe.

4. A removable tap for shoes comprising a tip portion and a body portion, a rigid sharpened sole engaging member on said tip portion, a recess in said body portion, an anchor ring in said recess, bores in said body portion, shoe engaging means slidable in said bores, and resilient tensioning means connected to said anchor ring and to some of said securing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

